andyphuket Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 I have a 1987 BMW E30 316i with the M40 engine. The alternator has gone bad and I need to get it repaired or rebuilt. New ones are way to expensive (about 18k), and I don't want to buy a second hand one as you never know what condition it's in. I currently live in Rayong, and have been lots of different places, but they can't/won't fix it, or tell me where I can get it done. I don't mind sending it to another province if I have to. Does anybody here know where I can get it fixed? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubuzz Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 (edited) What is the problem? A regulator or bearings is an easy fix so i assume it is more involved. If you are a Facebook user, there are BMW breakers. Edited January 19, 2021 by stubuzz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyphuket Posted January 19, 2021 Author Share Posted January 19, 2021 Thanks. Forgot to mention that I put a new regulator in it a couple of months ago. I have tried on Facebook, but they just want to sell overpriced secondhand ones. ???? That's the reason for me wanting to repair/rebuild the one I have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubuzz Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 30 minutes ago, andyphuket said: Forgot to mention that I put a new regulator in it a couple of months ago. And did it fix the problem initially? Is it overcharging or not charging? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kwasaki Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 I can only suggest try contacting a German company that reconditions alternators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canthai55 Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Don't know where you live, but here in CNX there are shops which do exactly this, along with starters Dismantle, replace what need doing, assemble, test. Not expensive. I have used one shop for the last few years. good work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samtab Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 I understand that driving an old BM or Benz is better than any newer jap krap, but you already know that parts are expensive, and if you keep the car, just buy new part to avoid any future problem ! What are you going to save wit ha second hand or rebuilt ? 5000 thb ? even 10000 is ridiculous. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyphuket Posted January 19, 2021 Author Share Posted January 19, 2021 Yes, I am very well aware of that. As it's not my daily, I just don't want to spend too much on it. Like I said in my first post, I don't want a second hand one. If rebuilt properly it will last long enough for me. If I can save 10.000 that will but me a nice pair of wheels for it. ???? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the jungle Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 I would go with a locally manufactured Denso alternator. If your mechanic cannot work out how to do that they are not much of a mechanic. It will be cheaper and probably more reliable. I did such a swap on a European car years back. I did the work myself. It took a couple of spacers and a new belt tensioner which were made by a local machine shop. The spacers ensured the belt drive was properly aligned. I was lucky in that the alternator pulley was a straight swap but a machine shop could easily make such a pulley. The stock Bosch alternator which had a reputation for unreliability went in the bin. The new alternator was much smaller and lighter but slightly higher output. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyphuket Posted January 19, 2021 Author Share Posted January 19, 2021 6 hours ago, stubuzz said: And did it fix the problem initially? Is it overcharging or not charging? I measured the voltage it's putting out, and it's just under 10V. Yes it did fix it initially. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubuzz Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 2 hours ago, andyphuket said: I measured the voltage it's putting out, and it's just under 10V. Yes it did fix it initially. Have you checked the battery and the engine earth? Charge it up and have a shop load test it. Give all the fuses and relays a wiggle with the car running. Then give the wires on the alternator a wiggle see if gives the voltage increases. Check voltage at the battery and the back of the alternator. Try replacing the rectifier and brushes again, it may be faulty or the incorrect unit. The slip rings could also be worn out. If that doesn't work, you will need to modify a Japanese unit to fit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samtab Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 You should contact the foreigner at SATTAHIP near Pattaya who is good at working on German cars, I guess he can help you with this. I think it's called car tech sattahip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malathione Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 11 hours ago, samtab said: You should contact the foreigner at SATTAHIP near Pattaya who is good at working on German cars, I guess he can help you with this. I think it's called car tech sattahip. Yes, he seemingly knows what he is doing and is easy to deal with. Car Tech Service Center Sattahip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashirelad Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 Take a Thai speaker with you. Go to a battery shop, ask them. They will most likely know of someone who reconditions alternators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanGBK Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 On 1/19/2021 at 5:03 PM, canthai55 said: Don't know where you live, but here in CNX there are shops which do exactly this, along with starters Dismantle, replace what need doing, assemble, test. Not expensive. I have used one shop for the last few years. good work. Could you please tell me where these shops are and if possible telephonenrs. Many thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canthai55 Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 This is the one I use - excellent, quality work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transam Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 Every biggish town in LOS has a place to re-con alternators and A/C pumps. If you have a place that fixes coach probs I would go there, coaches often have probs. I had my Vigo alternator fixed in such a place, Mrs.Trans went there to tell them we can't move the truck, etc. They came and collected the truck. Fitted a fully charged battery and took it away. They ordered a kit which included a smaller pulley, to speed up the thing at low RPM. On completion, they delivered it back. Cost me a bit over 3000bht......???? PS. I took the bike to their workshop, it was a real dive, but, there were a couple of coaches, a few trucks with stuff stripped off, in one corner was a huge stack of refrigerant bottles, which told me the place was busy. My alternator was totally stripped, cleaned and laid out, new parts on display for total restoration... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavisH Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 On 1/19/2021 at 7:18 PM, samtab said: I understand that driving an old BM or Benz is better than any newer jap krap, but you already know that parts are expensive, and if you keep the car, just buy new part to avoid any future problem ! What are you going to save wit ha second hand or rebuilt ? 5000 thb ? even 10000 is ridiculous. Wifes niece had an old 3 series. It was on a slider more than the road. lol Sold that and bought a new accord. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanGBK Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 On 1/26/2021 at 11:45 AM, canthai55 said: This is the one I use - excellent, quality work Thank you very much for the information. Greetings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samtab Posted February 1, 2021 Share Posted February 1, 2021 have you found a solution ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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